• Rain fell until an hour before kickoff, and only 22,550 fans turned out.
• The field was muddy and slippery, hampering both offenses. Many times receivers from both teams failed to reach the spot where Graham or Albert expected them to be when they threw.
• Amazingly, neither team committed a turnover, and they combined for just a single penalty for offsides against Cleveland.

• Quarter 1
  Cleveland received the opening kickoff and started throwing immediately. But nothing clicked, and the Browns punted.
  They showed a new wrinkle on defense. When they suspected that southpaw Al­bert would pass, MG Willis moved to right tackle, switching places with Chubby Grigg. Frankie would complete only 9 of 24 for a mere 108y.
  SF ran the ball three times without success and punted, the Browns gaining 8y on the exchange at their 44.
  On the first snap, Graham fired a 38y pass to Speedie to the 19. After Dub Jones made a yard, Motley added 10 for 1st-and-goal on the eight. Marion took a wide flip-out but lost three trying to get around right end. Graham then called a quarterback draw to gain seven over guard to the four. Edgar "Special Delivery" Jones smashed over left guard twice, making 2y each time to score with 7:20 remaining in the period. T Lou "The Toe" Groza added the extra point. Browns 7 49ers 0
  Neither offense produced much the rest of the period.

• Quarter 2
  The Niners mounted their first threat. Albert finally threw a pass on the first play of the quarter, connecting with Beals for nine. This stopped the visitors rolling to the 24. But E Horace Gillom threw Albert for a 10y loss on third down and Joe Vetrano's field goal attempt from the 41 missed.
  Cleveland also sputtered offensively, getting only as far as their own 38.
  The half ended 7-0 Browns.
  
  
• Quarter 3
  Graham completed an 11-yarder to Lavelli and a 25-yarder to Dub Jones to get the Browns as far as the five. But Edgar Jones was held without gain on the last two downs, and the 49ers took the ball.
  SF made two first downs before Albert had to punt, the kick being returned 16y by Cliff Lewis to his 37.
  After an incompletion, the next play brought the fans to their feet again. Motley took the ball on a trap play and was deep in the SF backfield before anyone saw him. When DB Lowell Wagner caught up at the seven, Motley turned around just in time to apply an effective stiff arm. He was thrown off stride but still made it to the end zone. Browns 14 49ers 0
  DB Warren Lahr produced the defensive gem of the day during the period on an Albert pass to E Paul Salata. Lahr knocked the ball away just as the 49er receiver was about to make a catch for a sure touchdown. The effort even drew praise from Salata, who patted Lahr on the back as he returned upfield.
  After returning the kick on their 26, the visitors finally cranked up a scoring drive. Albert completed three passes for 20, 10, and 10 to put the pigskin on the Cleveland 24 as the quarter ended.

• Quarter 4
  After an incomplete pass, Salata feinted loose from the defense of Lewis and Tony Adamle, took in Albert's pass, and carried the ball over only 14 seconds into the period, Albert found E Paul Salata for six points. Vetrano, SF's kicking specialist since the inception of the club, booted his 107th consecutive PAT and finalized his record of scoring in all 56 games the 49ers played in the AAFC. Browns 14 49ers 7
  The Browns put the game away with a 69y drive. Otto got it started with a 23y pitch to Lavelli. The 11th play saw Dub Jones spin over right tackle for the last 4y with exactly 6:00 on the clock. Graham threw only two passes during the march, but they were vital – 23 and 10y to Lavelli. Otto also carried three times on draws for four, six, and 8y. Browns 21 49ers 7
  SF drove to the Cleveland 31 where they relinquished the ball on downs.
  The Browns ate up the remaining time with eleven straight runs, good for three first downs. Graham gained 20 himself on three attempts. To Edgar Jones went the honor of carrying the ball on the last play in AAFC history, a 4y rip through left guard to the SF 25.

As the clock reached 0:00, Brown ran onto the mud-splattered field with a wide smile to slap the backs and shake the hands of his players.

• The small but loyal crowd gave their hometown heroes an extended and boisterous round of applause.
• The band played taps as the grounds crew lowered the flag. The curtain had come down on the All-America Football Conference.

• First downs: Browns 16 49ers 14
• Yards rushing: Browns 41-217 ,49ers 33-122
• Passing: Browns 17-7-0/128 49ers 25-9-0/108
• Fumbles-Lost: Browns 0-0 49ers 2-0
• Penalties: Browns 0-0 49ers 1-5

• Brown spoke privately to his team before allowing the press into the locker room. He thanked them for a great victory, which they deserved. He then looked ahead to the Shamrock Bowl the following weekend in Houston pitting the league champoin against a team of AAFC All-Stars. Let's enjoy the trip, fellas ... I want you to have fun. You can bring your wives along. And I promise you, fellas. I'll not needle you, not once [pause, look around the room] until next season. Wives on a road trip! Euphoria had gone to coach's head. When newsmen finally entered, players hoisted their coach on their shoulders for the photographers.
• The Cleveland coach praised his team, saying they would have won on any field: They were a dogged team out there ... It was their greatest game, especially in defensive play. When a writer commented that Motley looked like his old self on his 63y touchdown run, Brown replied, He's always that good but can't always show it. Marion isn't a picnic for anybody. In setting up defenses for us, the first thing they do is concentrate on Marion. But they seldom stop him. Out there today, the 49ers looped their line and shot linebackers in an attempt to stop him. But they didn't.
• The upcoming season dominated the postgame questioning just as it had the pregame press conferences. Brown told reporters, I'd like nothing better than to play the National League champ as soon as possible. [NFL Commissioner Bert Bell cited the league constitution, which forbade post-season play.] Paul declared that Cleveland might not have a team in the merged league. Unless we get the personnel we need and a place in the division with the better clubs, then we'll not be interested in the new league, and we'll be out of business. We've earned the right to play the top clubs, and Cleveland is entitled to see the best – Philadelphia, Washington, Chicago's Bears, New York's Giants, and the Detroit Lions – and that's the division we want in if the league is split up that way. Brown wouldn't commit to coaching in the NFL. I'll have to get together with Mickey McBride[Browns' owner] before making any decisions. From what I've heard so far, I don't like the way they're pushing our entry around. When asked if he would retire, Brown scoffed, Why? I'm only 40. I'll be around a long time.
• McBride, who had declared before the merger agreement that he would continue as owner only if the AAFC teams formed a separate conference in the NFL, reminded reporters: Paul is a very flexible fellow. He's not hard to get along with, and besides he's under a personal contract to me which runs through next year.
• Two Browns announced their retirement. LB Lou Saban hoped to enter the coaching field. G Bob Gaudio, son of a millionaire contractor, said it's time to help the old man. Coach Brown indicated some other veterans might hang up their equipment for good. We've been together for four years, and some of the boys are beginning to tear at the seams. I'd hate to see any of them leave, but I won't hold them back if they want to get into some other business.
• Buck Shaw, like Brown, blamed the wet field for the comparatively low yardage. Concerning Cleveland's chances in the NFL, Buck said, I'll bet on the Browns to beat the National League's best. Paul has a perfectly balanced team. They have a fine passer and a fine defense. They'll do all right.

Because of the small turnout, the players split 70% of the $68,529 take.

• Each Brown earned a paltry $266.11.
• The 49ers took home $172.61 apiece.
• For the fourth year in a row, McBride presented his coach with a new car.